attractive force
1
4.7
- noun
- Specialized
- It is the attractive force that brings in customers.
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Watch on YouTubeSo gravity is, is usually a purely attractive force, but negative mass would lead to repulsive gravity and lead to all kinds of weird things.
- So gravity is, is usually a purely attractive force, but negative mass would lead to repulsive gravity and lead to all kinds of weird things.
Examples
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Gravity, as we experience on the Earth's surface and in the solar and similar systems, is associated with an attractive force.
Blog text (3) -
It is an attractive force between any two bits of material in the universe—you and Earth, two dust bunnies under your bed, two stars separated by one hundred thousand light-years.
Academic text (2005) -
Varahamihira proposed that there must be some type of attractive force keeping objects stationary.
Blog text (17) -
Newton has succeeded in quantifying this attractive force using his law of universal gravity.
Blog text (3) -
Gravity is the attractive force that pulls objects toward each other, like a magnet attracts metal.
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The attractive force of the Earth keeps us grounded, preventing us from floating into space.
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In physics, the attractive force causes two objects to move closer together due to their mass.
Synonyms
366
2.3
The force that makes things fall to the ground and keeps planets moving
9
2.8
A force that pulls objects toward each other, like gravity or magnets
9
4.2
A pull between all objects, especially Earth's pull on things near its surface
5
4.1
A force that pulls objects toward each other and makes things fall to Earth
2
3.4
The pull that makes things fall toward Earth or another large body
2
4.1
The force that pulls two objects toward each other, for example toward a planet
2
3.7
A force that pulls iron or nails toward a magnet
1
6.8
A force that pulls objects with mass toward each other, keeping planets and moons in place
1
3.5
A force that pulls atoms together to form molecules
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'attractive force' is directly compositional: 'attractive' (exerting a pull) combined with 'force' (power that makes objects move) clearly yields a force that draws objects together. This is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common combination so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning, even if the collocation is used in technical (physics) contexts.
Etymology
Attractive force is a simple name that shows the idea: attractive means 'pulling' and force means a push or pull. Think of two magnets moving toward each other — that clear picture is why the phrase means 'a force that pulls objects together'.